I’ve always had huge respect for the musicians in Iron Maiden. Sure at a quick glimpse they look like typical heavy metal dudes with skulls and devil horns. But beneath that are songs written about history. For example: “Run To The Hills” is about the mistreatment of the Native Americans. “The Trooper” is about muskets and horses in the Battle of Balaclava of 1854. But that just a few examples. First and foremost, they are just awesome musicians. The drummer Nicko McBrain is no dummy! This dude knows his instrument. I had the pleasure of taking a Master Class with him as a teenager. He showed me how to apply a syncopated rhythm, much like the “cascara” pattern in Afro-Cuban music, on the ride cymbal while keeping a double time rock/metal beat going on with the bass and snare. It was a fantastic example of how open a musician should be and learn from all styles.
Here’s “Aces High” to showcase such beats. Enjoy!
0 Comments